Grader



June 12. 1928.

w. G. ALLEN GRADER 1 Filed June 26, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet In M June 12, 1928.

V G.ALLEN GRADER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 26, 1925 N hmmm June 12, 1928.

W. G. ALLEN GRADER 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed June 26, 1925 Patented June 12, 1928.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM G. ALLEN, OF SALEM, OREGON.

- GRADEB.

Application filed June 26, 1925. Serial No. 39,767.

This invention relates to a grader suitable for fruits and similar materials, and particularly to a construction employing a liquid medium for conducting the material from one grading surface to another, andmeans for collecting after delivery the separated grades of the material.

This construction of grader while adapted for general application, is especially designed for use in connection with the method of grading and system of grading disclosed in w my co-pending applications filed June 26, 1925, Serial Number 39,7 65, and Serial Number 39,766, respectively. The material to be graded is deposited upon the reticulated primary grading surface by a body of liquid which conveys the material, and the material passing through the primary grading surface is deposited upon a fixed water table beneath the same having a series of parallel channels which discharge upon a succeeding grader in a lower horizontal plane where the action just described is repeated. At the final grading surface the water is collected in a suitable receptacle from which it may be returned for feeding purposes. The grading surfaces are agitated to discharge upon delivery belts while the ungraded material is conducted by the gravity flow of the water in the descending steps of the grading surfaces and water tables.

The invention has for an object to provide a novel and improved construction of grader comprising a series of reticulated grading surfaces having orifices of successively re,- duced area and a fixed water table disposed beneath one grading'surface and discharging upon the succeeding surface.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved grader structure comprising a fixed. frame from which a movable frame is pivotally suspended and adapted to. be vibrated longitudinally,'said movable frame being rov'ided with a series of reticulated sur aces disposed in descending horizontal planes, in connection'with a series of water tables disposed beneath one grading surface and discharging upon the succeeding surface, said water tables being fixed and conducting the material thereon by the flow of the liquid.

A further object of the invention isto provide an improved construction of water table embodying a channeled or corrugated conducting surface upon which 'the liquid and material to be graded is discharged and sepa rated into a plurality of parallel streams each requiring only suflicient liquid to convey the material.

Other and further objects and advantages of the invention will be hereinafter set forth and thenovel features thereof defined by the appended claims.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a side elevation with parts in section;

Figure 1 is a continuation of Figure 1; Figure 2 is a top plan; Figure 2 is a continuation of Figure 2'; Figure 3 is a vertical section on the line 33 of Figure 1 and Figure 4c is an enlarged section at thelongitudinal center of the grader.

Like numerals refer to like parts through- I out the several figures of the drawings.

Thefixed frame of the grader may be of any desired construction or configuration and for instance is shown as comprislng a series of uprights 10 connectedat their upper ends by longitudinal supporting bars 11 and at their lower portion by similar bars 12. Suspended from the bars 11 is a movable frame 13 which carries at intervals reticulated grading surfaces 14:, these being disposed in successive descending horizontal planes by means of hangers 15 of different lengths. The grading surfaces 14 may be of any preferred character but preferably comprise a series of parallel spaced bars 16, those of the several surfaces being spaced at different intervals to provide for the proper graduation of the grading. With smaller material, screens may be used in- I stead of bars.

The movable frame may be given an agitation or longitudinal reciprocation by any desired mechanical connection, a preferred construction being the use of hangers 17 pivoted at one end to a support 18 upon the bars 11 and adapted to be adjusted longitudinally by the opposite nuts as indicated at 19. The lower end of this hanger is pivoted at 20 upon a cross rod 21 mounted on the movable frame 13. This rod is supported by means of bearing brackets 22 depending therefrom as shown in Figure 4. Motion is imparted to the movable frames from a driving shaft 23 bymeans of an eccentric 24 thereon connected to a pitman rod 25 'whichmay" be formed with a Y-end 35 extending to the opposite sides of the frame for an equalized application duplicated upon the drive'shaft with up; positely disposed eccentrics as'indicated'in Figure l; v v

Beneath each of the grading surfaces a water table 26 is disposed and is supported in fixed position by attachment to,.-theup rights and also by means ofdepending plates 27 from the longitudinal bar 11,

these plates being pros-*ided with slots 28 to permit movement of the rod 21 from the, hangers for the movable frame, ;This,wa:ter table extends for the width of the machine 7 and inorder to economize in the quantity of liquid required for conveying the material and, also to maintain this mater al in separated condition the conveying surface of the table is channeled or corrugated as 7 shown at 29 in Figures 2 and 3. 'lhe-liqnid and material passing through the primary grading surface is thus divided into aseries of parallel streams which discharge upon the next succeeding surface and, maintain the material in a separated free condition which materially facilitates the grading action and the passage through the grading surfaces of the liquid and remaining material. V v

Extending over these water tablesI provide a transverse conveyer for the reception of the graded material fro-m each surface and this may comprise a belt 30 mounted upon a suitable pulley 31 having bearings upon one of the uprights 10 and a cooperating upright 32. These con-ve-yers are pro: Vided atthe discharge from each of the separate grading surfaces. Beneath the final grading surface a liquid receptacle '33 is disposed which collects the liquid used and this may be returned t o the source of feed by means of a suitable conducting pipe 34:

as indicated in Figures 1 and 1 A stop 37' is provided at one side of thebelt 30,

v The general operation of the grader will be apparent from the foregoing description from whiehit will be seen'that the: material is; fed over a seriesdof smooth; horizontal bars which are longitudinally agitated so as to cause a feed'there-from of the material collected by the bars and its conveyance from the grader while the material passing through the bars is depositedupon the water table and separated into a plurality of streams by the channel surfacewhicl permits; the use of; the minimum OLE liquidr i n conveying the material; from, one: grading surfacetoanother y Y: I v

The use of a body of liquid for conveying .material through the different stages prevents the bruisingof fresh fruits when being graded and while this graderis adaptedfor application to any class of material which can be conducted by a flowing stream of liquid, still itlis particularly designed for usein connection with such fruits as they thus maintained in a separated condition securing the most desirable results in the subsequent canning-operations.

While the specific details of construction have; been shown anddescribed, the invention is not continedthereto as changes and alterations. may be made thereto. without departing from the spirit ofthe invention as recited in the following claims.

-are mencniy'aoated upon the liquid and d-ucedarea, means for vibrating said graders,

and a, water table disposed beneath one grading surface and discharging uponthe succeedin-g grading surface said table having means upon its upper face to divide the liquidinto. ind' idual streams and thereby present a, relatively thin layer of fruit upon the succeeding grading surface.

8. In a grader, a series of reticulated grading surfaces having orifices of successively reduced area, anda fixed water table dis,- posed beneathone grading surface and discharging upon the succeeding grading surface, said, water tablehaving a channeled conducting face.- i

4, 111 agrader, a series of reticulated grading surfaces having orifices'of successively reduced area, and pa-fixeclxwater table disposed beneath and substantially parallel to one gra ing surface. I and dis h g ng p the succeeding grading surface, said water table being -proyidedfwith a serie's of Iongitudinals corrugatiqns Prov ding Separate parallel channels upon itsconducting face.

. 5.; In a grader, a fixed frame, movable grader frames, a series of; hanger links pivoted atoppnsite ends tothe frames, ret ul t d g adi g Su fa s carried y the movab e ra-mes in descending. horizontalph es a ie fi e wa t r tabl HPPQ 'l dfF-Qm: the :firalwib nsa h an: ing surfaces to discharge in the same direct n as t ersmdin u s and up the succeeding lower" grading surface;

, grader frames, auseries of hanger links piyotedat opposite, ends "to th'e frames, re-

movable frames in descending horizontal planes, a series of fixed water tables supported from the frame beneath the grading surfaces to discharge in the same direction as the grading surfaces and upon the succeeding lower grading surface, a drive shaft intermediate the ends of the fixed frame, eccentrics thereon, and pitman rods extending in opposite directions from the eccentrics to one of said movable frames.

7. In a grader, a fixed frame, movable grader frames, a series of hanger links pivoted at opposite ends to the frames, reticulated grading surfaces carried by the movable frames in descending horizontal planes. a series of fixed water tables supported from the frame beneath the grading surfaces to discharge in the same direction as the grading surfaces and upon the succeeding lower grading surface, and a liquid receptacle disposed beneath the final grading surface.

8. In a grader, a fixed frame, movable grader frames, a series of hanger links pivoted at opposite ends to the frames, reticulated grading surfaces carried by the movable frames in descending horizontal planes, a series of fixed water tables supported from the fixed frame beneath the grading surfaces to discharge upon the succeeding lower grading surface, a liquid receptacle disposed beneath the final grading surface, and transversely disposed conveyers intermediate said surface and table at the delivery from each grading surface.

9. In a grader, a fixed frame, a movable frame, hanger links pivotally connected to the frames, a series of grading surfaces de pendent from the movable frame and composed of spaced parallel bars extending longitudinally thereof, means for imparting a reciprocatory movement to said movable frame to feed material in parallel paths upon said bars, delivery means at the lower ends of each series of bars, and fixed water tables mounted upon the frame and disposed in descending horizontal planes beneath the successive grading surfaces to feed from one grading surface to another.

10. In a grader, a fixed frame, a movable frame, hanger links pivotally connected to the frames, a series of grading surfaces dependent from the movable frame and composed of spaced parallel bars extending longitudinally thereof, means for imparting a reciprocatory movement to said movable frame to feed material in parallel aths upon said bars, a conveyer belt exten ing transversely of the frame and disposed at the delivery from each grading surface, and fixed water tables mounted upon the frame and disposed in descending horizontal planes beneath the successive grading surfaces to feed in the same direction.

11. In a grader, a fixed frame, a movable frame, hanger links pivotally connected to the frames, a series of grading surfaces de pendent from the movable frame and composed of spaced parallel bars extending longitudinally thereof, means for imparting a reciprocat-ory movement to said movable frame, a conveyer belt extending transversely of the frame and disposed at the delivery from each grading surface, water tables mounted upon the fixed frame and disposed in descending horizontal lanes beneath the'successive grading sur aces, said tables being provided with a longitudinally channeled conducting face, and a liquid receptacle disposed beneath the final grading surface.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

WILLIAM G. ALLEN. 

